Liverpool hoping to stay at a redeveloped Anfield

AFP, LIVERPOOL, England

“LFC celebrated its 120th year in 2012 at Anfield and there is no doubt Anfield is the spiritual home of the club — our preference was always to remain at Anfield, but today is just the start really, and there are so many other issues still to discuss and resolve, so many consultations and processes to go through, that we are not absolutely guaranteeing things. We can’t,” Ayre said. “Certainly, we are not setting unrealistic deadlines, or talking about overambitious or fanciful timescales. Neither is the club taking anything or anyone for granted — especially the residents of Anfield — and we certainly don’t want our fans to be misled or misinformed.”

The club’s decision to stay put followed an announcement by Liverpool City Council that it had secured a ￡25 million grant to transform the Anfield area in the city in northwest England, with further investment likely from a public housing association.